Comment by MSM | Hacker News Reader

Comment by MSM | Hacker News Reader

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Replace talking about a rape with any of many reasons the police might be called and it makes just as little sense to have all these videos public.

Super innocent example: A 14 year old kid breaks their leg and the cops show up to them in agony and crying. Would be very easy for a few people that dislike them to plaster them crying all over social media. Yes, the event was public to begin with, but the chances of one of the bullies walking by and snapping their own photos is almost nil.

A lot of people that are interacting with the police are in a very vulnerable state, it would be asinine to expose that to the world. The thought that it will create "good will" with the public is entirely backwards in my opinion, if I'm in trouble and I know if I get the cops that I may end up all over the internet it may keep me from calling them at all.

> Super innocent example: A 14 year old kid breaks their leg and the cops show up to them in agony and crying.

This seems like the same argument. What does enforcement of the laws have to do with medical aid? Why has our society conflated these two things?

I assert that the state has an interest in injecting law enforcement concepts in all sorts of situation precisely because it opens up uncertainty over its public nature.

Instead, we need law enforcement to be its own discrete activity, and among its norms for it to be entirely public and based on public consent.

Why are we rehashing this almost 200 years after Robert Peel's work?

Police are people who are trained to deal with stress, qualified to take witness statements (which insurance often requires), have a level of medical knowledge, can get places fast and can get more help (and possibly better qualified help) quick. Why wouldn’t you want them there?

You used the term "first responders" a post or two up. Police are often the "first responders" to numerous incidents, enforcement or otherwise, simply because they are near the scene and are (rightfully) trained in basic first aid and generally have first aid supplies in their cruiser. Police _should_ be trained to and respond to incidents other than enforcement actions. They are members of our communities, they are employed to protect us (ostensibly).

It is generally the idea that all police do or should do is enforce the law that leads to divisiveness and brutality.

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